Irony at Boeing not lost on business media

Reporting on last month’s firing of Harry Stonecipher as president and CEO of Boeing after it was revealed that he was having an extramarital intracompany affair with a female executive, The Wall Street Journal noted, “Fifteen months ago, Chicago-based Boeing brought back its retired president to bolster ethical practices after a string of scandals.” Such a relationship is not barred. He was fired, said Boeing, because the affair is an “embarrassment to the company.” The Journal called the affair by the 68-year-old Stonecipher “almost quaint in this sex-addled age. Had he been an Airbus executive, the French would have given him a raise.” Boeing named CFO James Bell as interim president and CEO.